Elliptic spring for vehicles.



Patented 1an. 29, IQOI. l

M. P. GEBBING. ELLIPTIC SPRING FOR- VEHICLES.v

(Application led May 7, 1900.)

(No Model.)

lliure Sintes PATENT firmen.

ELLIPTlC SPRING FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PateutNo. 666,750, dated January29, 1901. Application filed May '7, 1900. Serial No. 15,707. (o model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern;

Beit known that I, MAX P. GERBING, a citizen of the United States,residing at Wentworth, county of Newton, and State of Missouri,haveinvented acertain new and useful Improvement in EllipticalVehicle-Springs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvementin ellipticalvehicle-springs,and

has for one object to so construct a spring of this description as torender it exceedingly rigid so far as side play is concerned, whilegiving its members free and full elasticity to and from each other; anda further object of my invention is to so form the ends of the leaves ofthe spring as to cause them to freely ride one upon the other Withoutchang or undue friction; and a further object of my invention is tobrace the center portion of the upper member of the spring with elasticcushions, which, while permitting the free action of the spring, willsupport it when heavy strains are brought tobear thereon and it iscompressed to a considerable degree.

IVith these endsin view thisinvention consists in the details ofconstruction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and thenspecifically designated by the claim.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this inventionappertains may understand how to make and use the same, the constructionand operation will now be described in detail, referring to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which-Figure 1 is an elevation of a spring made in accordance with myimprovement, one of the couplings thereof being sectioned so as toillustrate the connection between the two members of the spring; andFig. 2, a bottom plan of the upper member of one of the couplings.

In carrying out my invention as here embodied, A represents the lowermember of the elliptical spring, which may be made in the usual manner,consisting of aser-ies of leaves superimposed one upon the other andadapted to be secured to the axle B of the vehicle by means of the clipC. The upper orprincipal leaf of this section terminates in the eyes D,

through which the bolts E pass for coupling together the two sections ofthe spring. The upper section F of this fralneis likewise composed of aseries of leaves, the lower or principal leaf thereof terminating in theflanged housings G, between which the eyes D are pivoted, so that whenthe spring is compressed and the members of these couplings are swungrelative to each other the housings will embrace more and more the lowersec tion of the spring, and thus stiffening the spring sidewise when thegreatest strain is brought thereon, and when this extra' rigidity ismostneeded,as shown in the drawings,these housings extend to aconsiderable distance toward the center of the spring, and in proportionto their length so will the action of the spring be affected, and thelength of these housings may be varied to suit the requirements of anyparticular frame. The remaining leaves of the upper section may havetheir ends turned up, so as to increase the facility with which theywill ride upon the leaf next below, and in order that these turned-upends may not interfere with surrounding objects nor mar the appearanceof the spring they are preferably formed into rings or circles, asindicated at H. If de? sired, the main leaf of the spring may also haverings I formed upon its end, so as to correspond with the other rings,or in practice only certain of the leaves may have their ends npturned,since it has been found that there is greater movement of some of theleaves than of others.

Suitable buffers J, 0f elastic material, are interposed between thebolster K and the upper section of the spring at such points as willafford a packing or support for the spring when it is compressed to aconsiderable ex-v te nt,'but which will not interfere with the freemovements thereof. These buffers may be secured in any convenient mannerin place.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and usefulis.-

In combination, a vehicle-spring consisting of two semi-ellipticalsections coupled together at their ends, the ends of one sectionterminating in eyes, while the ends of the roo other seetion terminatein housings, said eyes xed my signature in the presence of two subbeingpivoted in the housings by bolts, and scribing witnesses.

rings formed upon the ends of certain of the leaves, a bolster securedthereto, and buffers MAX P' GERBING' 5 interposed between the bolsterand upper see- Witnesses:

tion of the spring. W. F. FENTON,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto af- HENRIETTA WILEY.

